If you think it’s just false hype building between Team Canada and the U.S. with a ticket to the quarter-finals on the line, listen to David Backes.

The agitating St. Louis Blues centre has fought Team Canada players Rick Nash, Jonathan Toews and Corey Perry this NHL season and will go to great lengths Sunday to get under the skin of the Canadian trio.

“That seems to be the story that never dies,” Backes said of his goal to torment Team Canada. “That’s what I’m willing to do for my team. Rick Nash isn’t a small person, but I dropped my gloves with him and took him off his game and took him out for five minutes. That was beneficial to our Blues team.

“If there’s a role to be played for (the U.S. team), I’m willing to play that role, also because we have something to prove and they have something to prove.”

So after Canada needed a shootout to subdue Switzerland 3-2 after opening with an 8-0 romp over Norway — and the U.S. posted a 3-1 win over the Swiss and 6-1 rout of the Norwegians — expect equal amounts of talent and testosterone at Canada Hockey Place.

Team Canada goalie Martin Brodeur, who has a long list of international accomplishments on his resume, said the Canada-U.S. rivalry has reached a new level.

“I think it’s bigger now,” said Brodeur, who must out-duel U.S. goalie Ryan Miller on Sunday. “I think it’s bigger now because the Americans are getting stronger and stronger. There are young, powerful players in (Patrick) Kane, (Phil) Kessel and (Zach) Parise and this is a second wave against our second wave of newcomers.

“And the Russians have it, too. It’s a great time for hockey.”

Oh yes, the Russians. Wayne Gretzky already expects Canada to face them in the gold-medal game, and that alone will serve as extra encouragement and pressure for Sunday’s combatants.

Canada is still looking for a second line to complement the trio of Patrick Marleau, Joe Thornton and Dany Heatley.

Canada routed Norway 8-0 in its tournament opener, but had to survive a scare against Switzerland.

“It’s a great lesson for our team in how hard it’s going to be,” said Team Canada coach Mike Babcock said of the game against the Swiss. “I think we’re going to be a lot better because of what we went through.”

It’s the same for the Americans. Paul Stastny between Parise and Kane looks good on paper, but it was a failed chemistry combination against Norway. Ryan Kesler started between Jamie Langenbrunner and Dustin Brown and finished between Bobby Ryan and Kane.

• Russia versus Czech Republic

The Russians, who won their opener 8-2 over Latvia, spent a majority of their Friday practice working on the power play after a 2-1 shootout loss to Slovakia a day earlier.

“We have to score more on the power play — especially when we have such talented and skilled guys,” said the Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin.

That will be tough against the motivated Czechs, who know what’s at stake Sunday after a 3-1 win over Slovakia and 5-2 win over Latvia.

“I don’t think it (rivalry) is what it used to be,” said Czech goalie Tomas Vokoun. “But if we beat them, we go straight to the quarter-finals, so that’s definitely enough motivation for the game.”

• Sweden versus Finland

Finland’s Teemu Selanne set the modern-day career Olympic scoring record Friday with 37 points following an assist in a 5-0 win over Germany. The ageless Finnish flash expects the Swedes to remember how hard they were pushed in 2006 before claiming Olympic gold over the Finns.

“We have a funny relationship with Swedes — it’s a love and hate,” said Selanne. “Individually, I don’t know one bad Swedish guy. They’re like big brothers and you always want to beat the big brother.”

Goaltender Martin Brodeur of Canada makes a save during their men's hockey game against Switzerland at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics, February 18, 2010. REUTERS/Chris Helgren

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